Can Grapes Turn Into Wine?
In this short article, we will answer the question, “Can grapes turn into wine?” with an in-depth analysis of grape wine, ingredients, and steps involved in winemaking, classification of wine, and health benefits of drinking wine.
Can Grapes Turn Into Wine?
Yes, grapes are turned into wine. Grapes undergo a series of steps to turn into wine. The process in which grapes are processed to make wine is called winemaking.
There are different varieties of wine based on the type and flavor of the grapes. From vine to wine, the process involves 6 steps.
What Is Wine?
During the winning process, yeast consumes the natural sugar of grapes. This process is called fermentation. Fermentation produces alcohol. Therefore wine is an alcoholic beverage obtained from fermented grape juice.
But nowadays people produce wine with some fruits such as apples, blackberries, cranberries, etc. But 99% of the wine is made with grapes. Wine made with grapes is the most popular wine.
The Main Ingredient In Wine
The wine consists of more ingredients than we know. Some ingredients are used during the wine process to soften the wine and give it a smoother texture. Amongst all ingredients, these are the main elements
· grapes
· sugar
· yeast
Classification Of Wine:
Wine can be categorized in various ways according to country, region, grapes variety, aging, and sugar level. Generally, wine can be categorized into three major categories:
· The first one is table wine
· The second is sparkling wine
· The third is a fortified wine
Still wine
The majority of wines fall into this category. They’re between 8% and 15% alcohol by volume
Sparkling wine
These are wines that are bubbly or fizzy. Carbon dioxide is produced by fermentation in wine causes fizziness.
Fortified wine
These wines have extra alcohol added to them and they, therefore, have higher levels of alcohol ranging from 15 to 22 alcohol by volume
From Vine to Wine in 6 steps:
Following steps are involved in winemaking.
Sorting
Grapes are harvested and unwanted substances are removed by sorting. This process is usually done by hand. Sorting can also be done mechanically.
Pressing
Once sorted, grapes are ready to be transferred to vats usually made of stainless steel. Grapes are then either crushed to release their juice or placed in the vat as whole berries.
The grapes are crushed and de-stemmed to create what’s called ‘must’. Which is the fermenting juice.
Settling
Winemakers may choose to increase the extraction of color and tannins by either pumping over the must or pushing the grape skins down into the liquid. After pressing, the grape juice is left to settle in tanks before fermentation, for a few days to a few weeks.
Fermentation
Yeast is added to grape juice for the fermentation of sugar into alcohol. Following fermentation grape juice is left with the skin for a few weeks.
Aging
The wine is then left to mature for 18 to 24 months. While maturing the wine will go through a racking process roughly every three months. Where it is transferred to different barrels to remove any remaining sediment in the wine.
It also provides controlled oxygenation. This step is critical to the development of flavors and aromas in red wine.
Bottling
This is the final step which involves, filtration and bottling with the wines being transferred from tank to bottle and the final cork being added. Bottles are then labeled and ready for sale.
Health Benefits Of Drinking Wine:
Moderate consumption of wine can have several health benefits. Major benefits are as follows:
Anti-aging
Resveratrol is an antioxidant. It is present in grapes and wine made from grapes. It slows down aging due to its anti-inflammatory properties. If you’re not a wine drinker, you can still reap the benefits. This antioxidant is also present in cranberries.
Cancer prevention
Excessive alcohol intake including red wine can increase the risk of cancer. Red wine if consumed moderately lowers the incidence of breast cancer. The antioxidant resveratrol present in grape skin decreases estrogen levels and improves testosterone levels.
That is why post-menopausal women who drink wine moderately have a reduced risk of breast cancer. Red grapes contain a high amount of resveratrol as compared to green ones.
Heart-healthy
Red wine has long been thought to protect the heart because it contains tannins that protect against heart disease. Tannins are also antioxidants that are helpful in reducing blood cholesterol by improving HDL levels. HDL is also called good cholesterol.
Conclusion
While a nightly glass of red wine certainly seems like it could be part of a healthy lifestyle, don’t feel like you have to drink every day. Heart and lung associations do not recommend alcohol consumption only for the purpose of improving heart health. Because alcohol causes addiction and is bad for health in large amounts.
